Dr. Chaim Botwinick
Now that Chag Shavuot is behind us, for most our day schools and yeshivot, there are only several more days or weeks until the end of this z’man (school year).
As a result, the summer season which is just around the corner, provides many of us in education with an opportunity to recharge, rejuvenate and re-envision. Moreover, with the arrival of the summer, we anticipate engaging in special summer projects, catching up on desperately needed respite, enjoying travel, camping and vacation and opportunities for learning and academic recharge.
For professionals who work in our Jewish day schools and yeshivot, especially as classroom teachers and rabbeim, we often observe a significant change in our student’s demeanor, behavior, focus, and attitude as we approach the end of the school year.
As a student, I can vividly recall when returning to school following the Pesach break, (and certainly after Shavuot) how difficult it was for me and my classmates to stay focused and motivated about our studies. We were all preoccupied with end-of-school year activities and programs, while eagerly looking forward to summer vacation. In fact, this was the time of year when many of my classmates were “sent to the principal’s office” for misbehaving or disrupting class than other time during the school year. We were already in summer mode even before school ended. It’s just nature and a reality since time immemorial
As a result, our teachers learned to acclimate and cope, navigate and “teach around” these classroom distractions. And, for those teachers and rabbeim who could not, it was indeed a most challenging and difficult way to conclude the school year….especially new teachers with less classroom experience.
Throughout the years, many of my students required very little “content resetting” towards the end of the school year. But, it did however take a few days to recalibrate their “academic gyroscopes” in order for them to fully recall the material they learned prior to Pesach.
Some of my teacher colleagues felt that I was lucky in this regard. I did not really need to re-teach my students nor were my students required to relearn the material I taught them prior to the break….even in preparation for final exams.
Truth-be-told, I attributed my good fortune to several possible factors – my students were either extremely bright, disciplined or focused; or that I was an effective teacher. More likely, it was more often than not, a combination of the two.
Bottom line, I knew full well that there would be a drop off in material retention, focus and skill following any break or vacation, so I consciously ramped up my review in class several weeks prior to the break. This was a relatively simple method I learned many years ago from my teaching coach in graduate school.
As we know, the Pesach and Shavuot break were a prelude to summer vacation. It creates a student attitude and mindset that focuses on final exams, grade point averages, making it to the dean’s list, graduation, year-end BBQ’s, parties and siyums.
It is important to note that during that period of time, student reflections included questions they had about whether they will be returning to the same school next year; will they acclimate and enjoy their freshman year in college or study in Israel next year; will they be required to attend summer classes in order to compensate for a failed grade or will they be required to engage in a special summer reading program and/or remediation classes/tutoring; and finally, to securing a well-paying summer job.
These are just a select few of the normative student challenges and concerns many of our students think about and face at end of the z’man or school year.
Impact on Teachers/Rabbeim
For many teachers, rabbeim and faculty, the challenges are a bit different, but nevertheless just as relevant and challenging.
This time of the year, many teachers and faculty look forward to the long-awaited summer respite especially after having experienced a year of productive and effective teaching and student learning…… keeping in mind that effective and dynamic teaching requires high energy levels, focus, staying on task, perseverance, resilience and continuous momentum.
Ironically, during this time of year, teachers also ask themselves – do I sincerely want to return to the same school next year or should I explore other educational venues, options or opportunities? (This usually happens just prior to Pesach); am I growing professionally in my current job or am I stagnating? Will I receive a positive performance assessment from my supervisor? Will I be granted that long awaited salary adjustment or increase? How can my unit and lesson plans be more inspiring for my students? And finally, do I still feel as positive, energized, inspired and motivated by my teaching assignments and school workload as I did in the beginning of the year or when I began teaching in the school? Bottom line…do I still have what it takes to be a great teacher?
These and other questions are posed by many of our conscientious teachers, rabbeim and faculty this time of year. It is totally expected, natural and logical.
Finally, it is critically important for teachers, rabbeim and faculty to reboot and refresh themselves during the summer break so that irrespective of where they decide to teach next year, they are fresh, prepared and motivated to inspire, motivate and stimulate our students following the summer vacation.
Baruch HaShem for summer breaks.
Principals and Heads of School
From a leadership perspective, there are a host of questions, challenges and concerns which many principals and heads of school may ask themselves as they wind-down the academic year.
They may include the following, but are not limited to:
- As Principal, did I provide my faculty with ongoing quality supervision, guidance and direction in order to inspire their motivation, impact and teaching effectiveness?
- Did I encourage instructional excellence?
- Was I clear and consistent in my directives?
- Was I always accessible to my teachers, students and parents?
- Did I implement school policies in accordance with the school’s standards?
- Was I a true and sincere Jewish role model and exemplar of good middot?
- Was I able to ensure that all of my faculty were heard?
- Was I able to motivate my faculty and staff to be the best they can be?
These are just a few of the end-of-year self-assessments and reflective questions which principals and heads of school should be asking or addressing.
Not unlike the wide variety of 360 leadership performance evaluations, these self-assessments are beyond invaluable. They help the principal and head of school align and/or realign their professional leadership goals, objectives and style. By doing so, they greatly benefit themselves as professionals and enhance their professional standing, standards, effectiveness and relationships with staff, teachers, faculty, students and parents.
Retrospect/Prospect
End-of-school-year reflections whether one is a teacher, school leader, administrator or student, are healthy and invaluable. To this end, it is essential that we finish strong with an eye towards the future.
Several years ago, I adopted an end-of-school-year protocol which has always benefited me as a teacher and my students tremendously.
During the last several weeks of school, I would ask my students a series of reflective questions. They are usually the same three questions; what did you like, value or enjoy most about the course? What did you like least about the course? And, if they were able to introduce changes to the curriculum or course of study, how would the material be taught, and what would the content look like?
The benefits of this process should be obvious. They provide the teacher with invaluable candid student feedback; and, simultaneously indicate to the students that the teacher sincerely cares about their perceptions and concerns.
The one caveat regarding the usefulness of this protocol is that students must be middle or high school level in order to ensure mature responses and feedback. And even then, an experienced teacher knows what a serious student response is as opposed to one which is fabricated or not taken seriously.
In the final analysis, any reliable or authentic feedback regarding teacher impact and/or effectiveness should always be welcome.
Parenthetically, on the topic of teacher effectiveness, although this suggestion does not necessarily relate to end-of-year teacher performance reviews or assessment (which is the responsibility and role of the teacher’s supervisor), as a principal or head of school I always suggested (not require) that teachers invite other fellow teachers into their respective classrooms in order to observe and to provide collegial feedback to the teacher about what they observed.
Most teachers embrace this concept and sincerely appreciate the invaluable colleague-to-colleague peer feedback.
Not unlike other learning institutions, the success and impact of our Jewish day schools and yeshivot on student learning depends greatly upon their teachers, rabbeim, faculty and administrators who are reflective, thoughtful and introspective about their craft in limudei kodesh and limudei chol.
What better way to conclude the school year than through meaningful reflection, self-assessment and introspection. It also sets the stage for the future.
As we conclude another school year of intellectual and academic student growth and development, we all hope and pray to HaShem for a healthy and safe summer, and for an upcoming (next) school year imbued with renewed energy, wisdom, knowledge and insight….in the pursuit of chinuch excellence.
Have an amazing summer!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Chaim Botwinick is a senior executive coach and an organizational consultant. He served as president and CEO of the central agency for Jewish education in Baltimore and in Miami; in addition to head of school and principal for several Jewish day schools and yeshivot. As an Influencer I education, he has published and lectured extensively on topics relating to education, resource development, strategic planning and leadership development. Dr. Botwinick is co-founder of LEV Consulting Associates and producer/host of the Chinuch Horizons podcast series. Dr. Botwinick is Author of “Think Excellence: Harnessing Your Power to Succeed beyond Greatness”, Brown Books, 2011.
